Townsville Fattest People in the State

[Guest Ktee]

THE Burdekin's booming sugar cane industry may be taking a toll upon its residents, who have been identified as the fattest people in Queensland.

Figures released by Diabetes Queensland show nearly 75 per cent of the Burdekin's adults are considered overweight or obese, one of the main risk factors in developing diabetes.

This is compared with the state obesity average of 60 per cent, and Townsville's average of 56.3 per cent.

Medical experts have suggested the bulge in the Burdekin's obesity rate may be influenced by the district's sugar industry - the largest in Australia - which has left many locals with a sweet tooth.

The recent statistics have been sourced from the Queensland Government's Office of Economic Research.

Diabetes Queensland policy manager Dr Peter Anderson said the elevated rate of obesity in the Burdekin was due to its ageing population.

About 44 per cent of Ayr and Home Hill's population is over the age of 45, compared to the state average of 37 per cent.

"What happens is that the population puts on weight as they age," Dr Anderson said.

"I'm not sure whether people are aware of that, but it does tend to level off when you turn 65 plus, but up until that age, people always put on weight."

Townsville General Practice Network chairman Dr Kevin Arlett believed the high rate of obesity in the district may be related to the sugar industry.

"You've got a high proportion of cane farmers down there as well," Dr Arlett said.

"That might have something do with a higher intake of sugar and sweet produce.

"A sweet tooth might well have something to do with it."

He said it was important for people to be aware of the sugar content of their food, and to increase their activity levels.

Earlier this week, Diabetes Queensland identified the Burdekin district as having a 50 per cent rise in all types of diabetes over the past five years, more than twice the national rate.

Indigenous communities, however, are at the forefront of the epidemic with high Type 2 diabetes rates and low income.

The organisation has called for early detection programs to help doctors identify people at risk of diabetes.

Townsville Hospital director of endocrinology and diabetes, Dr Kunwarjit Sangla, said the data showed doctors were getting better at diabetes detection, particularly in regional and rural areas.

"The data shows the message is getting out there and people are becoming a little bit more aware than they were in the past," he said.

"But at the same time, the rates are quite high and we need to look at what we need to do to reduce this."

Dr Sangla said the easiest solution to reducing waistlines across North Queensland was by promoting more awareness of the need for healthy diets, and more physical activity.

"There are a lot of things that you don't think give you lots of energy, like soft drinks and chips, and then we don't do much activity to use the energy from the products that we're eating."

[Guest SoulVision]

That's quite interesting, I go to the gym nearly everyday and they're always full to the brim with people working out. Even going out around 5pm you see many people running, cycling etc - the only time you do see unfit or overweight people are when you visit the local food courts or the vulnerable suburbs.